meditation on deployment – Department of Defense Live photo
“I don’t have time to meditate”
You have the time, what you lack is the discipline.
This article is not about meditation. To describe the benefits of meditation or how to find a decent teacher or how to build a daily routine, would be a waste of our time. We can not address the challenge of meditation, when the real problem is discipline.
If you have read this far, perhaps you have come to the place in your life where you are questioning if a life without discipline is OK. If the answer is is “yes”, we wish you well.
If the answer is “no”, we can help. If some part of you feels that living without daily discipline creates a life that lacks direction, purpose and fulfillment, we can start.
Let’s look at the science. In 2014, the University of Chicago conducted a three part study on the relationship between self discipline and happiness.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23750741
Their concluding sentence was…
“Self-control positively contributes to happiness through avoiding and dealing with motivational conflict.”
They found evidence that “trait self control” (TSC or self discipline) was positively related to improved feeling of wellbeing by resolving the conflict between vice and virtue, in favor of the virtue.
It seems that Mom was right…all along. We will benefit by finishing our homework on time and making our bed and taking out the trash. Perhaps a phone call to let her know. If that’s not possible because the time has already passed, send a thought. Either one will serve as an acknowledgement that you are ready. Either one will show that the first step to better self discipline has already been taken.
Our Brain Responds to Positive Acknowledgement
It’s not so important what form the acknowledgement takes. It could be the thought of someone special, the sight of an object, the sound of a piece of music. In the case of a famous neurosurgeon, it is the sound of a dime store clicker that he uses to reward his students when their work is done well.
Our brain is built to respond to triggers. Using this functionality will provide a real advantage in forming a productive daily life. For example…
Every morning, as I walk out the front door, I see the broom. I pick it up and sweep the sidewalk. When I am resentful that litter has been dropped by visitors to the neighborhood, I sweep. When there are only two cigarette butts that could be easily overlooked, I sweep. When it is raining and the leaves stick to the concrete, I sweep.
I sweep not because it is a responsibility or because it is appreciated and even strangers will say “good morning”. I sweep because I have made it my tradition. It is important because I have decided that it is important. This simple 5 minute process is the trigger that begins a valued and productive day. All it takes is an old broom.
Discipline is a process that is kept alive day by day. Choose a simple task. Decide that it is important. Practice it every day.
Practice and make it yours.
This article was considered, prepared and written by the team at
Mind Body Performance Management